


Launch Day

by Shamaru



Category: The LEGO Movie (2014)
Genre: Mentions of Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:21:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23197756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shamaru/pseuds/Shamaru
Summary: Bad Cop wants him to stay home.Benny tells him he can't.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Launch Day

Bad Cop wakes to a quiet room, the soft ticking of a clock on the wall the only real noise. His back is to the opposite side of the bed and he rolls to face it slowly. His eyes are still closed, not wanting to give up sleep just yet, and he stretches out an arm to find only emptiness. One eye cracks open to make sure as he drags a hand across cold sheets. His partner’s been gone for a while.

With a sigh he drags himself to his feet and stretches his arms above his head, grunting as his back cracks. He stands at the edge of the bed for a minute and lets himself wake more fully before wandering out of the room. He heads into the kitchen and smiles at the sight of his partner there.

“Mornin’, Ben.” he greets with a tired voice.

Benny turns to look at him and flashes a sweet little half smile. “Morning.” he returns the greeting. Then, “We’re out of eggs.”

Bad Cop sighs. He’s doing that a lot lately. “I’ll see about getting more later. Come sit down.”

Benny takes the few steps from the stove to the table and sits across from the other. He glances down at a newspaper on the edge of the table and motions toward it. Bad Cop follows his lead and glances at the paper too. It’s old, but he’d never gotten around to tossing it out. There’s a spaceship on the front cover and a colorful crew of astronauts stand proudly in front of it.

Bad Cop reaches out and flips the newspaper over.

Benny gives him a concerned look and reaches across the table to rest a hand over one of his. “You okay, B?” he asks quietly.

The cop looks down at their hands and sighs once more. “I’m... afraid for this launch, Ben.” he finally admits. “I know y’know what t’do, but I have a bad feeling about this one. Can’t y’just stay home this time?”

The spaceman lets out a tiny huff of a laugh. “That’s not really an option. My crew needs their mechanic.”

“Let me be selfish this morning, Ben. I’m tired.”

Benny shakes his head, but decides to pretend for Bad Cop’s sake. “Alright, I’ll stay home. What do you wanna do, B?”

Bad Cop looks up at him and manages a crooked grin that Benny finds endearing. “I’d like t’start th’day by making you breakfast. You’re still too darn skinny.”

Benny’s eyes crinkle when he smiles. “But we’re out of eggs.” he points out.

“That’s why I said I’d _like_ t’do it.” Bad Cop rolls his eyes. 

“Maybe you should go shopping before deciding on our pretend day together.” Benny turns his head toward the kitchen counter. “Remember to take your meds.”

Bad Cop frowns at that. He glances up and spots the little orange container on the counter wedged between the sugar bowl and coffee machine. He doesn’t make a move to leave his seat.

“I don’t need them today.”

Benny turns a frown toward him. “B.” he warns.

But Bad Cop shakes his head, taking his hand back from his partner’s slowly. “I feel fine.”

“You _feel_ fine, but you’re not. Not really.” It’s Benny’s turn to sigh and his frown takes on a sad edge. “You have to take them. They help. Stop being stubborn.”

Bad Cop feels a lump forming in his throat and turns his eyes away.

“Hey.” Benny says after a minute, voice gone soft and quiet. “I know it’s hard. Ever since G... Ever since then, I know. But you _need_ to take your meds, B. I don’t want you spiraling again. Please?”

Bad Cop sighs and squeezes his eyes shut as if that could help him at that moment, but he know Benny’s won. He never could say no to the man when he spoke like that. He takes another minute then gets up to grab the bottle and down two of the off white capsules. It’s almost worth the trouble when he turns to see Benny smiling at him again.

“There now.” the spaceman says. “Was that so hard?”

“I’d take you t’th’flower shop after breakfast.” Bad Cop changes the topic abruptly. Benny doesn’t comment. “Buy y’some flowers.”

Benny laughs airily and leans his head in a propped up hand, smiling more endearingly again. “You know I’d buy you a few behind your back too. A nice handful of stargazer lilies and red carnations. What would you get me, B?”

Bad Cop feels the lump forming in his throat again and swallows thickly. He forces a smile. “Orchids, maybe. Pink and white carnations. A single dark red rose.”

His partner’s smile takes on a sad edge. “I think you should go see Emmet. He’s wanted to talk to you for a while now. It’d be good for you.”

Benny’s getting blurry at the edges and Bad Cop isn’t sure if it’s the moisture forming in his eyes or the medicine working through him that’s doing it. “I’ll think about it.” A single tear slips from one eye and he sniffs as he reaches up to wipe it away.

Benny’s at his side in an instant and cold hands (always cold in the mornings) gently touch his face. “It’s alright, B.” 

“It’s not.” Bad Cop says while trying to fight back tears. “I’m afraid, Ben. I really think y’should stay home from th’launch.”

“Oh, B...” Benny sighs softly. “You know I can’t.”

“Why not?” Bad Cop’s pleading now. He can’t bear the answer to that question, the one he already knows, but he has to ask anyway. He’s asked so many times already, but Benny still gives him the same sad look and answers in the same gentle way.

“Because it’s already happened.”

The dam breaks and tears stream down the cop’s face. Benny’s image blurs while he openly begins to sob. The spaceman watches him with sad eyes.

“You’ve got to stop hurting yourself like this, B.” Benny says after another minute, so softly that it’s barely heard. “It wasn’t your fault. It was months ago. You’ve got to let go.”

“I can’t!” Bad Cop shouts with a cracked voice. “You’re all I’ve got left!”

Benny shakes his head. “You don’t even have me, B. I’m a ghost. Not even that, really.” He gives a sad half smile and holds his arms out. He’s fading slowly like a dissipating fog. “I’m just an imprint of personality and memories. Just something your mind pieced together to keep you from loneliness. You did the same thing with G when he died too, remember?”

“Please don’t do this, Ben.”

“You’ll be alright, B.” Benny takes a step away from him and smiles a little brighter. “Keep taking your meds. They’re helping. And go see Emmet. I mean it, B.”

Bad Cop watches as his partner blurs further. He continues to sob, but he makes himself nod, throat too tight to answer properly. Benny’s smile goes sweet just before he vanishes entirely. Bad Cop collapses to his knees and cries until he’s got no tears left.

Later he’ll visit Emmet. They’ll finally talk about launch day. Bad Cop will cry again as he thinks about how proud he felt for his partner and how that pride had turned to horror when the shuttle burst into flame high in the air. They’ll both cry thinking of Benny.

Things aren’t good, Bad Cop thinks, but maybe things will get a little bit better.

**Author's Note:**

> Another one that made me cry while writing it.
> 
> Inspired by corvidprompts on tumblr:
> 
> “You gotta let me go, X. You can’t just keep my ghost around forever. I’m not even the person you want - I’m not even me, I’m just a fading imprint of memories and personality. You have to move on.”
> 
> “I’m not giving up the only thing I have left.”
> 
> Stargazer lilies symbolize sympathy, which makes them an appropriate option for the loved ones of the recently departed.  
> Red carnations evoke admiration for a loved one that has passed.   
> Pink carnations stand for remembrance of the deceased.   
> White carnations symbolize untainted love and innocence.  
> In general, orchids carry a sentimental message of undying love.  
> Dark red roses express grief and sorrow. A single rose in a bouquet symbolizes enduring love for the recently passed.


End file.
